PM Modi Holds High-Level Meet On India’s Security Preparedness

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is chairing a high-level meeting to review India’s security preparedness, and the prevailing global scenario in the context of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, sources have said.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar are among those attending the meeting. NSA Ajit Doval and other senior officials are at the meeting as well.

The three chiefs of Army, Navy and the Air Force are also present at the meeting.

On Thursday, addressing BJP workers after the party’s big win in the latest round of state elections, PM Modi said India’s needs are connected to both Russia and Ukraine, but the country is on the side of peace and hopes that all problems get resolved through dialogue.

“India has a connection with the countries involved in the war – economically, security wise, education wise and politically as well. India’s several needs are connected to these countries,” PM Modi said.

The ongoing war is affecting every country across the world. India is on peace’s side and hopes that all problems are resolved with deliberations,” he added.

The government has evacuated the 1800-plus Indian nationals from Ukraine. The evacuation programme “Operation Ganga” ended earlier this week.

PM Modi had spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky before the evacuation, which had a big role in bringing it about after two ceasefire attempts failed.

India also engaged with the Red Cross, both in Geneva and Ukraine, for help with evacuating the students, reported news agency ANI.